Americas choice 2012 international reaction

Good evening everyone. After 18 months of campaigning -- or five years if you're Mitt Romney -- and roughly $6 billion, U.S. President Barack Obama is in a virtual dead heat with his Republican challenger. As the results roll in, we'll be pulling in reaction from people the world over.

by Nick Thompson11/7/2012 12:38:51 AM

Why not start things off with a video? For months we've been asking people around the world to tell the U.S. candidates what they want, and we've compiled the best answers into this Open Mic: on.cnn.com

US Embassy party in London have laid on Elvis impersonator. Slightly odd

by Nick Thompson11/7/2012 12:48:10 AM

On second thought, maybe we're glad we didn't get invited the Embassy party after all. If you're bored/sad because you too weren't invited to a party, feel free to waste time "determining" the election outcome on our electoral map.

Howdy! Hilary Whiteman here in Hong Kong, helping out Nick Thompson who's on the red-eye shift in London. Here's a pic from CNN's Ramy Inocencio of volunteers at the AmCham viewing party in HK.

by Nick Thompson11/7/2012 1:22:03 AM

How's your Mandarin? The U.S. isn't the only country in transition this week -- ahead of China's political transition, the state-controlled Global Times in Beijing has just published this editorial:

Populism taking over the world, China should stay on its road

"Obama or Romney, no matter who wins the election, neither one of them will bring fundamental changes to the country’s domestic or international policy. Problems will remain unsolved, and no one seems to care about it during this election." Read the full article here: bit.ly

No matter who wins, the special relationship between US and UK will remain, Ambassador Louis B. Susman tells party at embassy in London.

by hilary.whiteman11/7/2012 1:31:42 AM

Making me hungry. Why don't we have these in HK? A cookie from the CNN newsroom in Atlanta. Thanks Nick Scott via Madison Park

by hilary.whiteman edited by Nick Thompson11/7/2012 1:35:30 AM

It may be late in the U.S. but it’s around midday in Australia. Obviously not too early for a drink. This from an American in Sydney: “I am going to go home and get drunk either way. I could be celebrating or trying to kill the pain. Meanwhile I need a drink to settle my nerves.”

Speaking of numbers, what happens if the election ends up as a tie in the Electoral College? And why is the election on a Tuesday? CNN presents a voter's guide to such perpetually confounding riddles. Read more on CNN.com.

We're also monitoring reaction in China. This from Weibo, China's version of Twitter... LefengwangXiaopeng “Now I understand why the elites care so much about US election. Because they’re either 'American' themselves or relatives to 'American citizens' [indicating many have changed their nationality and registered for US citizenship]. And some of them are even preparing for the upcoming congress!

by Lauren Said-Moorhouse11/7/2012 1:55:06 AM

iReporter USALONDON may be across the pond in London but is not letting that get in the way of keeping up with the election results.

“As American expat absentee voters, we wanted to take part in the election from abroad. We need to stay up all night to watch the results, so why not throw a party to keep the American spirit alive in London?” said USALONDON.

U.S. Election #1 trend now on China's popular Sina Weibo even though censors restrict Chinese media reporting

by hilary.whiteman11/7/2012 2:01:00 AM

From Zhang Xin Chairman of SOHO China, the largest real estate developer in Beijing on Weibo: "Although Obama ended the Iraq War, killed Bin Laden, passed the medical insurance bill, but now the Americans only care about 'Jobs, Jobs and Jobs.' Who creates more jobs wins the election."

@Juliana Burrows Vergara I'm American and I had my say via electronic mail. Who would you have voted for?

by hilary.whiteman11/7/2012 2:08:43 AM

Another big name from China reacts -- investor Charles Xue:“My friend asking for my projection, I said no matter who wins, it doesn’t affect ordinary citizens’ lives. … The disadvantage of democracy is that a talent can work in White House 8 years only, the merit of democracy is that it’s 8 years at most for an awful president too."

How can America put cameras on Mars but still have people waiting 4 hours to vote???!!! #USElection

by hilary.whiteman11/7/2012 2:22:09 AM

And now off to India… Zahir Janmohamed writes an op ed in The Hindu Times The lost audacity of hope : “In 2008, as news of Obama’s win spread, racial tensions seemed as distant as that momentous night. But now, the magic is gone…”

BBC, naturally cautious, now catching up with US networks/newspapers which have called Pennsylvania for Obama.

by hilary.whiteman11/7/2012 2:38:18 AM

iReporter Peter Fitzpatrick shot this video at a CNN Election night (or early morning) watch party in Copenhagen, Denmark. “The interest in the election is huge! I heard people on the metro speaking about staying awake all night to see the results. It will be 5 in the morning in Denmark when the final results should arrive, and still people are going to stay awake.”

by Nick Thompson11/7/2012 2:41:53 AM

Video: Mark Preston breaks down the votes that will keep the House in Republican hands for another two years. Watch here: on.cnn.com

It provoked this comment on Weibo: @JXTV_LiuGuanLin @JXTV_LiuGuanLin: "You feel shame for 7 hours waiting? We have been waiting for more than 60 years."

by Nick Thompson11/7/2012 3:02:00 AM

Photo credit: S.S Mirza/AFP/Getty Images

“What Pakistan has to say about the U.S. polls”

A feature on the English-language Pakistani news site Dawn.com discusses the country’s “turbulent relationship” with America, and quotes Huma Yusuf as saying that regardless of the election’s winner, drone strikes in Pakistan will remain a contentious issue. Read the full article here: bit.ly